About Panchkarma

Panchkarma

Panchakarma is the most essential part of Ayurveda treatments. It is preventive, preservative, promotive, curative and rehabilitative therapy. Panchkarma is a Shodhana (Detoxification) Treatment. It include mainly five procedures which help to remove the waste material from the body. It is a unique, natural, holistic, health-giving series of therapeutic treatments that cleanse the body’s toxins, open the subtle channels, bring life-enhancing energy thereby increasing vitality, inner peace, confidence and well-being.

Shodhana treatment aims at removal of the causative factors of somatic and psychosomatic diseases. The process involves internal and external purification. Shodhana therapies expel the aggravated doshas from the body. Panchakarma treatment focuses on metabolic management. The effects of Panchakarma therapeutic process are very powerful and effective.

Main Types of Panchkarma

  1. Vamana – Medicated Emesis (supervised vomiting)
  2. Virechana – Medicated Purgation
  3. Vasti – Medicated enema
  4. Nasya – Medicated nasal Drops
  5. RaktaMokshana – bloodletting

Purva Karma (Pre-Panchakarma procedures)

Snehan and Swedan (external and internal oleation and Sudation) – As the doshas are located in remote areas of the body, generally there is no direct outlet for their elimination. Therefore, some preparatory treatments are first induced in order to soften the dosha and move it to either the stomach or the intestine from where the dosha is eliminated easily using the above-mentioned techniques.

  1. VAMANAM :
    Medically induced Emesis (vomiting). Artificial vomiting is induced using different Ayurvedic Preparations. It is usually indicated for people with disorders of ‘Kapha Dosha’. This is the cleansing process for the upper respiratory tract and upper digestive tract.
  2. VIRECHAN :
    Medically induced purgation which cleanses the lower digestive tract. Use of laxatives – A strong purgative like senna or rhubarb is given. It is normally used to eliminate vitiated Pitta (fire) from its site in the small intestines.
  3. NASYA :
    It involves the administration of medicines through the nose in the form of drops or powders. Nasal administration medicinal oils or herbal mixtures are inhaled or pour in nose by drops (mixed with oils or ghee). Highly effective for all kinds of headaches, paralysis, depression, stress, pain around the neck and shoulders, eye diseases etc.”
  4. BASTI :
    use of medicated enemas – These are primarily used to dispel Vitiated Vata Dosha from the colon.
    • SNEHA BASTI : Medicated oil mixed with some herbal paste and salt, is administered through the anus. The quantity of material will be decided according to the strength of the patient and disease. Beneficial in chronic nervous disorders, joint problems and skin diseases. One with the lowest dose of oil is called Matrabasti.
    • NIRUH BASTI : Enema done with a mixture of honey, rock salt, herbal paste, herbal decoction and medicated oils. This is helpful in some chronic rheumatic problems, Urinary stones, nervous disorders and in some gynecological problems also.
  5. RAKTAMOKSHANA :
    It is known as Blood letting. Mainly very useful in Vitiated Pitta Dosha, skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis etc .